title: Increased plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine and soluble CD40 ligand in patients with sleep apnea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are a leading cause of mortality and they are frequent in patients with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study we investigated if OSAS influences CV function independently of other CV risk factors frequently present in these patients (e.g. obesity, high blood pressure).
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and endothelin-1 (ET-1), and atherosclerosis progression (soluble fraction of the CD40 ligand, sCD40L) in OSAS patients with (n = 23) and without (n = 18) concurrent CV risk factors, as well as in healthy subjects (n = 23).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma ADMA (p < 0.01) and sCD40L (p < 0.05) were abnormally increased in patients with OSAS versus healthy controls, but they were not influenced by the presence or absence of CV risk factors in OSAS. ET-1 levels were not different between the three groups of subjects studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OSAS is associated with endothelial injury and atherosclerosis progression independently of other CV risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Servei de Anàlisis Clíniques, Hospital Universitari Son Dureta, C/ Andrea Doria 55, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. abarcelo@hsd.es
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barceló
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de la Peña
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ayllón
authors.forename: M Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Vega-Agapito
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piérola
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Constancio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Alvar G N
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Agustí
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D023201:CD40 Ligand; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine